Manning appeal thrown out In a busy day for the Appeals Body yesterday Kevin Manning had his appeal against a careless riding ban dismissed while Ken Condon and Billy Lee were exonerated after a referral from Tramore. Manning picked up a three-day ban in the Group One Phoenix Stakes after Parish Hall was found to have caused interference to Frederick Engels. The Appeals Body upheld the stewards decision and ordered Manning to pay €750 costs. Ken Condon and Billy Lee were referred by the Tramore stewards after Templeton was just edged out in a maiden last Friday. The following are the full press releases from the Turf Club on the two cases:- ------------- The Appeals Body (Division One), Patrick Reidy (in the Chair), Mrs. J.O. Onions and Michael Doyle met at the Turf Club, The Curragh, Co. Kildare on 17th August 2011 to consider the appeal of K.J. Manning, rider, against the decision of the Stewards at the Curragh on 7th August 2011, when following the running of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, he was suspended for three race days for careless riding. His grounds of appeal were that the local Stewards erred in their decision to find him guilty of careless riding and that his riding did not amount to careless riding as such and as defined in the Rules of Racing in that the incident which occurred was accidental and beyond his control. Evidence was heard from K.J. Manning and recordings of the race were also viewed. In his evidence K.J. Manning said that his horse suddenly veered left when he was hit for the second time. He didn’t expect that this would happen as the horse didn’t react that way after the first hit. He said he immediately rectified the drift and that any interference caused to Frederick Engels (GB), ridden by J.P. Murtagh, was accidental. K.J. Manning accepted that he didn’t know that J.P. Murtagh was on his inside until he heard him shouting but said that he was trying to correct his horse’s drift prior to hearing the shout. He denied that the drift was a deliberate manoeuvre to get to the rails. Having considered the evidence the Appeals Body found that K.J. Manning was in breach of Rule 214 and dismissed the appeal. They also ordered that he pay costs of €750 (inclusive of his appeal deposit) towards the Turf Club costs. As a result of the dismissal of the appeal K.J. Manning is suspended for 22nd, 23rd & 24th August 2011. The case was presented by Denis Egan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club. K.J. Manning was represented by Andrew Coonan, Coonan Cawley Solicitors, Naas, Co. Kildare. ----------------------- The Referrals Committee Judge Tony Hunt (in the Chair), Michael Doyle and Mrs. J.O. Onions met at the Turf Club on 17th August 2011 to consider the referrals of K.J. Condon, trainer and W.J. Lee, rider of Templeton by Denis Egan, Keeper of the Matchbook following the running of the Tramore Races on Facebook Maiden at Tramore on 12th August 2011. The Stewards at Tramore had held an enquiry into the running and riding of Templeton and having considered the evidence referred the matter to the Keeper of the Matchbook for further investigation. Evidence was heard from K.J. Condon, W.J. Lee and Raymond Doyle, owner. The Committee also viewed recordings of the horse’s three previous runs at Wexford on 20th May, Tramore on 4th June and Killarney on 13th July, as well as the race at Tramore on 12th August. In his evidence K.J. Condon said that he was pleased with the horse’s run at Tramore even though he felt he was unlucky not to win. He said that the horse runs best on a turning track such as Tramore. He felt the horse was a weak horse who was still progressing and that the whip should have been used sooner at Tramore. He attributed the horse’s failure to win as an error of judgment on the rider’s part rather than anything else. In his evidence W.J. Lee accepted that he should have gone for the whip sooner. However, he felt that his mount did not respond as well as anticipated when he did hit him twice. He also said that he thought the horse would have found more than he actually did when the pressure was applied. He said he was satisfied with the way he had ridden but was annoyed that he didn’t win. Raymond Doyle told the Committee that he felt his horse had hit the front in the run up to the line but that the winner had battled back to lead right on the line in a bobbing finish. He said he owned the dam of Templeton and that he has offspring of the dam at home. He said there was every incentive for the horse to win to enhance the bloodlines. Having considered the evidence the Committee found that there was no breach of rule as W.J. Lee gave the horse every opportunity to win. The case was presented by Denis Egan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club.
